Bacon S'mores Tart

When I saw the call for recipes from the editors of Bacon S'mores - "The recipe has to be for some variant on the idea 'bacon s'mores,'" they instructed- this is exactly what I was envisioning. Sweet, salty, smoky, and über-chocolatey! This has a bacon shortbread crust at its base, a fleur de sel caramel-softened marshmallow swirled layer, and a chocolate ganache topped with more oven-crisped bacon.  'Decadent' doesn't even begin to describe this tart.

Bacon Shortbread
2 C white flour
1/2 C powdered sugar 3/4 C organic butter
3 T cold water
3 T vodka
1 C oven-crisped bacon, diced (1/2 C for the shortbread, 1/2 C reserved for garnish)

Mix the flour and sugar; rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in water and vodka with a fork until the mixture forms a ball. Roll out between two pieces of parchment paper. Press gently into a tart pan. Stick in the freezer while the oven heats. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350, or until a light golden brown. In the meantime, make your caramel and marshmallows.

Fleur de Sel Caramel

1 C organic granulated sugar

1/2 C packed organic brown sugar

1/2 C ginger syrup
1 1/2 C organic heavy whipping cream
1/2 C butter
1 t Maldon fleur de sel flakes

In a medium-size pot, combine sugar, brown sugar, ginger syrup, whipping cream, butter and sea salt flakes. Simmer over medium heat, monitoring the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring. When the thermometer reaches 244 degrees remove the pot from the heat. Cool for at least 10 minutes. You'll need 1/2 C of caramel.

Maple Syrup Marshmallows
If you are just making these. Don't let them set! If you have pre-made marshmallows, melt enough so you have 1/2 a cup of marshmallow cream.

Pour the caramel and marshmallow cream over the bacon shortbread. Swirl. Let set while you make the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
2 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz dark chocolate, chipped or shaved
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chipped or shaved

Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Lightly beat the egg yolks. Once the cream is hot, add a ladle-full of the cream to the yolk in a slow stream. Then, whisking constantly, pour the yolk mixture into the remaining cream. Cook the custard over moderately low heat until thickened. Remove from heat, add the chocolate. Whisk till smooth.

Pour the ganache into the tart crust, over the caramel and marshmallow. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 C of oven-crisped bacon. Let set. Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if you like.